As a world-famous longevity town and famous producer of traditional soybean pastes including hot pepper paste, the green and citizen-friendly town, Sunchang was once called ‘Okcheon’ and ‘Osan’ during the Mahan Period.
It was called ‘Sunhwa’ during the unified Shilla Period and then ‘Sunchang-hyeon’ during the Goryeo Period. Sunchang was elevated from hyeon to gun (County) when the Buddhist monk Jeongo, who came from the town, took the honorable duty as the Monk of the State in 1319 (the 1st year of King Choongsook’s reign).
Before the 1900s
Sunchang was included in Namwonbu, Osan, or Okcheon during the Mahan period, Dosil during the Baekje period, Sunhwa during the Unified Silla period and Sunchanghyeon during the Goryeo Period. A lesser country magistrate was assigned in 1175 (the 5th year of King Myeongjong’s reign).
It was promoted to Sunchang-gun in 1314 (the 1st year of King Chungsuk’s reign) Sunchang-gun had jurisdiction over 18 bangs in the early Joseon period. It had jurisdiction over 18 myeons, the changed name from bang, in 1897 (the 34th year of King Gojong’s reign)
1900s ~ 2000s
1900s
Jurisdiction over 14 Myeons in 1914
Ingye-myeon = Inhwa-myeon + Hogye-myeon
Pungsan-myeon = Pungsil-myeon + Osan-myeon
Paldeok-myeon = Paldeung-myeon + Deokjin-myeon
Ssangchi-myeon = Sangchi-myeon + Hachi-myeon
Donggye-myeon = Incorporated Yeonggye and Adong-myeon (Gumi, Eochi and Dongsim) of Namwon-gun
1917
Jurisdiction over 13 Myeons – Sunchang-myeon = Jwabu-myeon + Wubu-myeon